Other Websites

Stories

Ralph Houk dies at 90; managed Yankees, Tigers and Red Sox

Ralph Houk managed the New York Yankees in one of their most glorious seasons and through some of the organization's roughest times.

And he had the good sense to see George Steinbrenner coming; Houk quit before the Boss could fire him.

It was no wonder: Houk also survived D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

Houk, a manager for 20 seasons in the majors who led the Yankees to two World Series championships and three pennants in his first seasons at the helm, died Wednesday at his home in Winter Haven, Fla. He was 90.

After a two-year stint as the Yankees' general manager, Houk returned to the dugout in 1966 and stayed until 1973 during a period of decline; the Yankees finished under .500 four times, if you can believe it. With Steinbrenner on the way in and set to clean house, Houk resigned.

Houk knew when he was in over his head.

He managed Detroit from 1974-1978, getting out just as Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish and Jack Morris were establishing themselves in the majors — and before Sparky Anderson took that core group to the World Series.

I'm old enough to remember Houk near the end of his career when he managed the Red Sox. He had modest success in the early '80s, between eras of Boston heartbreak. He was Wade Boggs' and Roger Clemens' first manager. And the last for Carl Yastrzemski.

As a 10-year-old, my honest impression of Houk was this: "He seems really old to be managing." And withthose sunglasses, he reminded me of Douglas MacArthur.

But the guy was a survivor — and he was pretty good at being a manager, too.